A new £25 million medical centre bringing together businesses and academics is to be built in Birmingham after Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg agreed to sign a “city deal” that could bring 10,800 jobs to the region.

But plans to improve transport links near Birmingham Airport, to ensure the region can make the most of the economic opportunities offered by high speed rail, have been put on hold.

The transport proposals were included in a bid submitted to the Government by Birmingham City Council and neighbouring authorities, along with Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, the business organisation chaired by John Lewis managing director Andy Street.

But these plans, which would include creating a new transport authority, have been put on ice and may be included in a “phase two” city dealt to be negotiated in the future.

However, Ministers have given the green light to a range of proposals which are designed to attract more than £15 billion of private sector investment to the region.

It follows months of negotiation between a team of ministers led by Mr Clegg, which also included Local Government Secretary Eric Pickles and Transport Secretary Justine Greening, and Greater Birmingham and Solihull Local Enterprise Partnership, representing Birmingham, Bromsgrove, Cannock Chase, East Staffordshire, Lichfield, Redditch, Solihull, Tamworth and Wyre Forest.

Birmingham City Council leader Sir Albert Bore, and his predecessor Mike Whitby, who led the authority until May this year, also helped lead negotiations.

Measures which have been approved include the creation of an Institute for Translational Medicine, which will have state-of-the-art clinical facilities and provide an international centre of excellence for businesses and academics in the healthcare sector, from small firms to international pharmaceutical companies.

The aim is to capitalise on Birmingham’s leading position in life sciences and its existing status as location for clinical trials.

The £25 million cost of building the institute will be met with a grant of at least £8 million from the government, with further funding from coming from Birmingham University and University Hospital Birmingham, the NHS trust which runs the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Edgbaston.

Other measures include the creation of a Greater Birmingham and Solihull investment bank, to be named GBS Finance, to manage the variety of government funding streams and grants designed to help the economy.

It is expected to manage public funds of £1.5 billion.

But under the city deal proposals, it will be expected to use this money to attract private sector investment of £15 billion to the region.

Other measures which have own approval include:

* Tackle the region’s long-standing skills shortage by introducing a “Skills for Growth Compact” in which employers, colleges and schools work together to improve skills and provide students with work experience. The aim is to sign up a quarter of the region’s businesses by 2015.

* Kick start housing and mixed-use development on public land by building of 2,800 additional new homes, using publicly-owned land. This land was purchased by Advantage West Midlands, the former government agency which has now been abolished, and is currently held by the Homes and Communities Agency, a national government body.

Mr Street said: “This is evidence that the Government is determined to fulfil its commitment to rebalancing the economy and devolving power locally.

“But they have also said we can’t have everything we have asked for at this first stage. What they have made clear is that the door is open for further discussion.

“I am very pleased that we have go as much as we have.

“One of the most important developments will be the creation of a pot of capital which goes some way to making us masters of our own destiny, instead of having to go asking Whitehall for funding for individual projects.”

The measures were backed by the region’s business leaders.

But Birmingham Chamber chief executive Jerry Blackett said they should just be the start of measures to devolve power from London.

He said: “Civil Servants have proved effective defenders of the status quo and the government has struggled to encourage departments to work together to maximise what powers can be delivered to cities like Birmingham.

“The LEP can draw confidence from recent months and should stand firm on the next wave of ‘asks’. Not least, for example, the powers we expect to be seeking in the autumn over transport.”

“We need to remind the government that the agenda for change is to achieve radical devolution. Today’s announcement is a good start but the job remains unfinished.”

Appears nothing for transport in Birmingham's City Deal, real shame as that's one of the areas that needs most attention. I hope the city gets these powers ASAP as I think a few of the other city deals include transport. Perhaps not working with the Black Country affected this

If im not corrected, its the Black Country who do not want to work with us, not the other way round ??????

I agree Brum - how did this strange situation arise? The neighbouring boroughs and city of Wolves look at Brum with suspicion yet they need us to help bring in investment. The Metro travels through Sandwell, Dudley into Wolves just missing Walsall but this should be one of the most important aspects of the "connected city" - there are no electrified fences or Berlin Walls between each council authority.

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I agree Brum - how did this strange situation arise? The neighbouring boroughs and city of Wolves look at Brum with suspicion yet they need us to help bring in investment. The Metro travels through Sandwell, Dudley into Wolves just missing Walsall but this should be one of the most important aspects of the "connected city" - there are no electrified fences or Berlin Walls between each council authority.

sorry, meant Black Country not working with Birmingham SLEP, sadly I think this will give Whitehall the excuse they need not to cede powers. Still lets see what happens in the autumn. No one likes giving up power! Still this is an encouraging development

Thinktank, Birmingham&rsquo;s science museum, will open a new gallery in February called We Made It.

The hands-on space will uncover the science of materials and manufacturing in the region, showing how and why Birmingham became known as &lsquo;the workshop of the world&rsquo;, and demonstrating to school groups how innovation remains part of the region&rsquo;s cultural identity.

We Made It aims to take visitors on a journey from raw material to finished product, demonstrating how everyday goods are produced. It will be illustrated by 1,200 objects and split into four distinct areas.

Nuts and Bolts will look at Birmingham&rsquo;s role in making iron and steel goods for the world; Treasure will focus on possessions made from precious metals and gemstones from Birmingham&rsquo;s Jewellery Quarter Tins and Things is themed around packaging for food and drink using glass and aluminium developed and made in the West Midlands; and Gadgets will be based on inventions that changed everyday life, focussing on the use of plastic and wood.

Thinktank&rsquo;s educational, interactive galleries are supported by an extensive education programme. This includes workshops, shows, planetarium shows and IMAX films, suitable for all ages from Early Years through to Post-16.

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A society grows great when old men plant trees in whose shade they know they shall never sit.

Another great win for the NEC, Resortsworld is going to be a major success in my opinion

Quote:

NEC SET TO MAKE A SPLASH WITH LAUNCH OF THE UK POOL & SPA EXPO
Monday, July 09, 2012

The Birmingham NEC is set to make a splash when it hosts the UK Pool & Spa Expo in January 2013, a brand new show which has been created to meet industry and customer demand for a national event, with the UK being Europe’s fourth largest market for swimming pools and spas.

The show, which is organised by New Events Ltd, will be open to both trade and the general public over the three day event allowing visitors exclusive access to the latest industry innovations and will feature exhibitors from suppliers of swimming pools, spas and other related services and accessories.

Set to attract more than 4,000 visitors over three days, the show will run from Thursday 24th – Friday 25th January 2013 for trade, and Saturday 26th January for consumers. Trade visitors are welcomed on the Saturday and will be qualified accordingly by registration staff, a clear badge format will be used to distinguish ‘trade’ from ‘consumer’.

Claire Saunders, Events Director, New Events Ltd, said, “We’ve enjoyed a long-standing relationship with the NEC, having worked with them on other shows, and found them to be a professional, supportive and responsive team, especially when it comes to launching new events like the UK Pool & Spa Expo. The NEC’s central location, in close proximity to the airport will attract international exhibitors so, for us, there was no other choice but the NEC to launch this new show.”

The event will showcase the elite from the industry, including a range of swimming pool, spa, water heating/cooling equipment, filter, cover, lighting and safety equipment manufacturers, as well as a variety of suppliers and distributors. The event is proving popular with exhibitors as the majority of spaces have already been filled.

Chris Hartley, Business Development Director, The NEC, said, “We’re absolutely delighted to be working with New Events Ltd on the launch of the UK Pool & Spa Expo. The fact that the show will debut at The NEC, opening to both trade and consumer visitors, demonstrates our ability to host events that appeal to multiple audiences, under the same roof, and showcases our appeal as the venue of choice for smaller, launch events as well as larger, established shows.

“We’re looking forward to welcoming the event next year and are excited about this event really meeting the needs of the swimming pool and spa industry.”

Top tip for the day people. If ever you're in your own car, and you see other cars driving through water like that - with water almost to the radiator grille - DON'T DRIVE IN THE WATER!

That guy in the merc will have as little as a centimetres clearance between the water level and the air intake for the engine. Cold Water being sucked into hot cylinders normally leads to a wrecked engine and a fooked car.

great pics Feltip. Whilst I understand this is a bus relief route I still feel that the roadway, not just the junction, should have been raised as a shared space area with the dark kerbs used as a kind of route marker. There will still be plenty of cars going down here as psychologically this will still look like an access road that anyone could use.

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Call yourself an Architect?.. Listen, take my advice.. A building can ONLY come to life when there is life around it - not just in it.. think about it....

(Someone at Cadbury obviously has a To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts....)This is Birmingham... FORWARD!!!

Wan't quite sure where to put this- but the team that put together the winning garden at Chelsea Flower Show.. don't know who the team are but in horticultural circles they seem to be putting Birmingham on the map.

Afraid I can't find the thread for it, but the student accommodation being built on the corner of Bishopsgate Street and William Street seems to be nearing completion. Looks like a decent filler development. There's lots of student accommodation around Bath Row so should fit in alright, not sure I'd want to live across the road from them though :-)